We have acquainted our readers on a weekly basis in this space with the 11th Meeting of the São Paulo Forum, which took place on December 2 to 4. Its success was made possible only due to the skills, organizational capacity and abnegation of the leading militants of the URNG-the Guatemalan National Revolutionary Unity. The information and opinions expressed on the São Paulo Forum still were not able to familiarize our readers with the country that hosted the 11th Meeting and the organization that made it possible. For that reason, here are a few notes on Guatemala and the UNRG. The Meeting took place in the city of Antigua, which keeps the most valuable treasury of ruins and buildings representing the colonial period in the Americas. The Santo Domingo, the hotel and convention center where the meeting took place, is placed on one of those ruins. In that place the Dominicans founded one of the first monasteries of the New World in the 16th century. Antigua is placed 1,500 meters above sea level and "lays" on the Panchoy Valley among gigantic volcanoes-Água, Fogo and Acantenango, which are from 3 to 4 thousand meters high. Declared a "Monument of the Americas" in 1942, it was honored with the title of "World Heritage", granted by UNESCO in 1979. Its population of 45 thousand inhabitants is constituted by Indians and mestizos. Capital of Guatemala during the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries, Antigua lived moments of splendor. The University of São Carlos was founded in the city in 1668. During the first half of the 18th century, the period of greatest progress, its populations totaled 50 thousand inhabitants. After a series of earthquakes, the capital was transferred to the Ermida Valley, where the City of Guatemala was raised, which now is the main political, economic, administrative and cultural center of the country.

The cradle of the Maya civilization, Guatemala bore the distress of the Spanish conquest. During the colonization, two thirds of the original population was slain. The massacre of these populations leaves indelible marks until the present days, resulting in the marginalization of immense portions of the Indian peoples that constitute half the country's population. From its modern history, we highlight as its peak the year of 1944, when a popular rebellion brought down a lasting dictatorship. A new stage began, the possibility of building a democratic life and following the road towards development and social justice was made feasible. In 1950, with the support of the communists, Jacobo Arbenz was elected President of the Republic, a progressist leader who promoted the agrarian reform, expropriated US companies and started a sovereign foreign policy free from the tutorship of the United States. Imperialism backed up a military coup that made the country sink in the whirlwind of repression, dictatorship and violation of human rights when, along with the police-like action of the armed forces under the monitoring of imperialism, the death squads of extremist right-wing groups were present. Those are days remembered with sadness. The guerilla movements appeared during the 60's, placing themselves in the center of a long armed political conflict during almost four decades. In 1982 the four main guerilla organizations were united, originating the URNG. Thirty six years of civil war resulted in the death of 150 thousand people and 50 thousand disappeared. After a process of discussion, the government and the URNG signed a peace agreement in 1996, establishing the reincorporation of the guerillas to civil life and the concession of legal warranties to Indian populations. When the agreement became effective in 1997, the URNG was transformed into a political party. Self-defined as a "left-wing democratic, revolutionary and socialist political party that practices international solidarity", the URNG takes part actively of the national political life. It is represented by six representatives and numerous mayors and city counselors. The URNG governs 13 municipalities and 8 departments (provinces). 10 out of those 13 mayors are Indians.

The 11th Meeting of the São Paulo Forum manifested solidarity to the struggle of the Guatemalan people, raising concern due to the failure in fulfilling the peace agreements in its entirety, since they included an agenda of national building with social justice, an agenda that is being substituted by neoliberal policies, by repressive actions and the resurgence of extreme right-wing groups. The URNG is preparing itself to the future electoral battles and launched the candidacy of Rodrigo Astúrias, son of the famous writer Miguel Angel Astúrias, to the Presidency of the Republic. A brief pause, a brief span for the recess at the end of the year. To all who share struggles, grief and victories with us, our vows of a merry Christmas and a happy new year. We will not be separated as it may seem. The wishes we make, in any part of the world, will unite us in thought and in the renovation of the hopes for a world of peace, democracy, development and social progress. We will be back on January 9. A brotherly embrace to all!